"The Illinois Lottery's intent to hire a private manager has created
public confusion. We would like to make it absolutely clear that the
state of Illinois is not privatizing, selling or leasing its
lottery. "The lottery is seeking a management agreement that
will enable the business to more quickly react to dynamic market
forces. The lottery will continue to be conducted by the state of
Illinois, as a state agency, ensuring that operations are conducted
with integrity and social responsibility.
"The new manager could potentially be in charge of the allocation
of about $1 billion of goods and services over the course of the
envisioned 10-year agreement. The manager will be paid a fee for its
services. It is comparable to hiring a manager to run a family
business -- not selling the business and taking the money in a lump
sum.
"The increased lottery profits generated from these management
changes will be used to fund the capital building program authorized
last year by the General Assembly. Lottery will continue to
contribute $625 million (plus inflation year-over-year) to fund
public education throughout the state."
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Revenue file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |